The Two of Cups
Caduceus and Chimera
The Two of Cups (the suit of emotions and water) seems to hold less weight than our companion card of the Major Arcanum, The Lovers. Two young people, gazing intently into each others’ eyes, hands outstretched, sharing the wealth of their respective cups. But if we look a little deeper at the symbols between and above our lovers on the Two of Cups, we can see that no card in the deck is as simple as its surface suggests.
The caduceus is the staff carried by Hermes or in Roman iconography carried in the left hand of Mercury. This god is a herald, a messenger and a negotiator, and this is the idea I like to consider when looking at the Two of Cups. Love and partnership as continual negotiation—it is not a particularly romantic card—look how serious they are. There are no heart bubbles above their heads. In fact what is above the two lovers’ heads is a chimera. Partnerships can be complicated.
The chimera in Greek mythology is a hybrid creature, a monster combining different animals, here a lion’s head with eagle or dragon wings. The chimera is ambiguous in form, and its expression is serious like the two human figures on the card. Biologically speaking, a chimera is an animal which contains two full sets of DNA and is very rare. So here we witness the partnership of two people who are considering a rare bond and connection, one that may not be entered into lightly.
The two other cards in the deck where we find the chimera are The King of Wands and The Wheel of Fortune. The chimera in the King of Wands is a backdrop for his throne, also depicted are ouroboros, fiery magical creatures. But I see a real connection between the chimera on the Two of Cups and the Wheel of Fortune card, as it reminds us about choice, about how our choices have consequences, and in the case of the Two of Cups, love and partnership are choices we cannot make in haste.
Current Offerings
Paid subscribers have the opportunity to join an intimate monthly tarot circle, where we discuss and read the cards. Our next zoom meeting will be on Sunday March 5th at noon pst.
I continue to offer enneagram informed tarot readings as well as enneagram consultations. Schedule time with me at Offerings.
My good friend and fellow tarot enthusiast Laurie Blackwell and I will offer our next seasonal gathering on March 12th at 3pm. We will celebrate the Spring Equinox, recognize the significance of the season, and of course discuss tarot. Register here: